Flue stopper



S. BOLLING ER FLUE STOPPER Filed March 24, 1923 Patented Aug 5, 192 1.

UNITED STATES deas FLUE STOPPER.

Application filed March24. 1923. Serial No. 627,447.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that SIMON BoLLINGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at South WVhitley, in the county of Whitley and State of Indiana, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flue Stoppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a flue stopper and has'for its principal object to provide a device which is adapted for use in closing the opening 'in chimneys when the pipes have been removed.

Another important obj ect of the invention to provide a flue stopper of the above mentioned character, which is of such con-. struction as to enable the same to be easily and quickly adjusted to a locked position in a chimney flue. V

Astill further object of the invention is to providea fluestopper of the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, inexpensive; strong, durable and "further well adapted for the purpose for which it is designated.

@therobjects and advantages of this invention will become apparent during the course ofthe following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification a'nd'in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the same w Figure 1 is-a plan view of the blank of 'material from whichis formed the retaining member of my flue stopper. V Figure 2 is a longitudinal section showin the flue stopper in its locked position.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of my flue stopper showing the same in its unlocked position within the flue opening of the chimney, the chimney being shown in section, and

Figure 1 is a rear View of the flue stopper as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

In the drawings for the purpose of illus- .tration is shown the concavo-convex face plate 1 which is provided with the usual ornamental design on its outer face and is of is the retaining member designated by the numeral 4 generally. This retaining memher is formed of a single blank sheet of metal material as shown more clearly in Fig. 1 of the drawings and has its intermediate portion of what 1 term as the base 5 provided with the apertures 6 adjacent the outer ends thereof for the purposes of securing the same to the face plate 1 by means of the fastening means designated by the numeral '7. The fastening means may be of any suitable means such as rivets or the like and I do not wish to confine myself to the particularmethod of securing the retainer to the face plate.

The portions 8 and 9 respectively are bent outwardly from the ends of the intermediate portion or base 5 of the retaining member l and these portions are also bent-intermediate their length for the purpose of providing the abutments 10 and 11 respectively. These abutments 10 and 11 are adapted to engage the inner walls of the opening 2 in the chimney 3 as will hereinafter be more fully described. The portions 8 and 9 at their upper extremities are bent inwardly so that the ireeends 12 and 13 of the por- 'tions 8 and 9 respectively are in an overlapping engagement with each other as more clearly showninthe drawings. The 1nwardly extending portion 1 1s provided withthe flanged portions 1 1 and 15 respectively and 16 and 17 respectively which are ladapted to be bent inwardly for the purpose of receiving and guiding the inwardly extending portion. 13. These flanges are arranged in spaced relation with each other as more clearly shown in the drawings and aid in holding the free ends of the inwardly extending portion 13 in proper engagement When the retaining member 4 is actuated to adjust the same to the opening 2 in the chimney 3.

The overlapping portions 12 and 13 respectivelyare provided intermediate their ends with the registering apertures 18 and 19 respectively the purpose of which will be more fully described in the following paragraph. slidably associated with the overlapping portions 12 and 13 is the sleeve 20 and this sleeve .20 is also provided with an aperture which is adapted to register with the apertures 18 and 19 and is also provided with the inwardly extending flanges 21 and 22 respectively for receiving a nut 23. The purpose of this sleeve 20 is to hold the nut 23 in position over the registering apertures 18 and 19 and to prevent the same from turning when the locking bolt 24 has its threaded end 25 passing through the central opening 25 provided in the intermediate portion 5 of the retaining member and finally through the sleeve 20 and the registering openings 18 and 19 provided in the'overlapping portions 12 and 13 respectively. It being further understood that the head of the bolt 24 will be in engagement'with the face plate 1 In use, when the stove pipe is withdrawn from the opening 2 oi the chimney 3, the faceplate I and the retaining member r carried thereby is inserted within the opening 2 and after the overlapping portions 12 and ill have been adjusted so as to bring the apertures 18 and 19 in registry to receive the locking bolt, it is then inserted in the opening and the bolt 2a: is then turned and when the bolt 24- is turned in a direction so as to draw the overlapping portions 12 and 13 inwardly towards the face plate 1, the end portions 8 and 9 will be forced outwardly so that the abutmenis l0 and ll provided in the portions 8 and 9 will come in contact with a the inner Walls of the opening 2 and thereby Pi ings. 7

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description that a flue stopper has been provided wherein the same may be easily and quickly inserted in position within an opening of a chimney and does not require the use of a complicated structure to accomplish the necessary results. Furthermore the simplicity of my fluestopper renders the same very cheap to obtain and does not require any skill to operate the same.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improved apparatus, it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and efiicient means for carrying out the objects of the invention, and while I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form,

proportion and in the minor details of 0011- struction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any'of the principles of tne invention. What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is A fine stopper comprising a concavoconvex plate adapted to be arranged over one end of a flue opening, a longitudinal strip of metal having its intermediate part extended substantially the entire diameterof the plate and arranged parallel thereto and in contacting relation therewith, fastenings securing the intermediate part of the strip to the plate, the strip otmetal being extended at substantially right angles to the plate to constitute abutments tox'e'ngage the walls of the flue, and thence bentagainr at right angles to afford oppositely extending V overlapping parts which extend substantially the entire length of each other, clips'on one of the last mentioned parts and embracing the other, and a bolt passing through the plate, intermediate part of the strip" and the last mentioned overlapping parts, and a nut threaded upon the bolt and adapted toibe adjusted against the overlapping parts whereby to force the abutments into frictional contact with the walls of the line.

In testimony whereofIaflix my signature.

SIMON BOLLING-ER. 

